


too much love will kill you

by logicalspecs



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Gen, Originally Posted on Tumblr, TW: Homophobia, queen as a family :)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-11-04 15:11:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17900492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/logicalspecs/pseuds/logicalspecs
Summary: "hi! i really really love your writing, and i was wondering if you could maybe do just a quick story about the other band members caring for a hurt/sick/upset freddie? thank you! <3" - anonymousThey could deal with the whispers, the scathing looks, but they would not stand by as they blinded one of their own.





	too much love will kill you

**Author's Note:**

> requests are open on my tumblr, @ eveningmercury !
> 
> tw: homophobia, mild descriptions of the effects of pepper spray

The protesters surround the bus before they can blink, shouting and banging on the windows. John's gaze darts between the picket signs that preach homophobic slurs, and Freddie, who seems to  
read each sign with a blank expression, but John can see the darkness behind his eyes.

"Why are we stopped?" Roger shouts, finally asking the question that had been plaguing them all.

"They're in the streets, we can't move," Peter Freestone calls back, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance.

"Open the doors," Freddie says, already standing up, and John and Brian both follow suit.

"Freddie, what-" Brian starts, but Freddie cuts him off with a dismissing wave of his hand. The doors open, and Freddie steps out.

Almost immediately a chorus of shouting erupts from the small crowd, and John can't tell what their saying as their voices layer together.

"You're going to burn," one woman spits, and John doesn't even have time to blink before she pulls out a small bottle and sprays it's contents in Freddie's face.

Freddie doubles over immediately, his hands moving up to shield his face, and John's heart stops. Horrible, wracking coughs erupt from the other man as he falls to his knees. There's yelling all around them, the noise pounding in his ears, but he focuses on nothing but Freddie as the singer chokes out raspy breaths. Freddie's hands move to scrub viciously at his eyes, a small hiss of pain scraping past his lips.

John sinks down in front of him, his hands gripping at Freddie's shoulders as he uses his body to shield the fallen man from the people that surround them.

"-John," Brian's voice cuts through his haze, and he finally looks away from Freddie.

"We need to get out of here," Brian almost has to shout over the chaos that closes in on them, and the camera flashes leave spots dancing across his vision.

"Freddie?" He asks, and the man in question slowly pulls himself to his feet, his eyes firmly pressed shut.

Hands guide them away, the shouting fading behind them.

They wind up in the backroom of a nearby shop, with Brian and John both supporting Freddie's weight as Roger fetches water and some cloths.

"Just keep blinking, Fred, alright? It's going to be okay, you're going to be fine." Brian's reassurances slowly spiral into quiet muttering as he looks anxiously around the room, and John can almost see the gears spinning in his mind.

"We need to get him out of these clothes," Brian says suddenly, looking over to John.

"Why?"

"There's probably some residue on them, it's just making it worse," Brian explains as he and John set Freddie down in a chair, the man still having not said a word. That, to John, was more concerning than anything.

"I'll go find some clothes for him to put on, can you get him out of these ones?" Brian doesn't wait for confirmation before he's standing up and disappearing from the room, and John turns his attention to the task set out for him.

"Just hang in there, alright, Fred?" He whispers as he quickly goes to remove Freddie's shirt, his frown deepening when Freddie whimpers softly as the fabric touches his eyes. He discards the shirt to the side, only then getting a chance to really look at Freddie's face, now that the man's hands rest stiffly in his lap.

Freddie's eyes are surrounded by a harsh red and filled with unshed tears as he looks up at John, his expression haunted with pure fear and pain. The sight alone makes John's stomach roll, and as he hears Freddie's labored breathing, he has to swallow back his own tears.

It's then that Roger walks into the room, a full water bottle in one hand and a few towels in the other. He kneels by John's side, and offers Freddie a reassuring smile as he wraps one of the towels around his bare shoulders, his movements slow and gentle.

It's a side of Roger that they don't see often, the soft and caring one, and John allows himself to draw some comfort from Roger's calm state.

"I'm going to pour this over your eyes, alright, Fred?" Roger holds up the water bottle, and Freddie nods.

"It might sting a little, mate," He adds, and Freddie just nods again, before a horrible series of gasping coughs wrack his body. John can't help but flinch back at the sound. Roger rubs Freddie's back soothingly, and slowly the coughs fade to rattling wheezes.

Roger holds the end of the towel under Freddie's chin, tilting the other man's face up as he pours the water over his eyes. Freddie winces, and Roger mutters a quiet apology.

Brian returns a few seconds later, clothes in his hands and Peter Freestone in tow. The PA quickly makes his way over to Freddie, and John backs out of his way. Brian stands next to him, and they both watch Freddie with anxious eyes.

Peter helps Freddie to his feet, and Roger sets the cap back on the half empty water bottle in his hands. Brian moves deftly to slip the new gray t-shirt over Freddie's head, and as soon as it's on, Peter is rushing Freddie from the room, leaving the three of them staring at the closing door.

They don't see Freddie again till the next day, when they show up at the Garden Lodge unannounced. Jim is out front, and he greets them with a smile as he pulls off his gardening gloves.

"Freddie's inside," He says simply, a knowing look in his eyes. Brian nods at him, a small grateful smile on his lips. They scale the steps to the home in silence, and John can't help but wring his fingers nervously.

They find Freddie in the piano hall, an old, familiar melody filling the room. Freddie's voice accompanies the song with a haunting openness that sends a knife threw John's heart.

“Too much love will kill you  
Just as sure as none at all  
It'll drain the power that's in you  
Make you plead and scream and crawl  
And the pain will make you crazy  
You're the victim of your crime  
Too much love will kill you every time-” 

“Freddie?” Brian's voice is hesitant as he lays a careful hand on Freddie's shoulder.

“Brian? I didn't know you were coming, dear, I would of put a kettle on.” Freddie smiles, quickly standing up from the bench.

His eyes are back to normal, John notices. Warm, welcoming, and not brimming with painful tears.

“It's alright, Fred,” Brian says, and they all fall silent. Freddie looks nervously at the ground, then at the wallpaper, anywhere but them. 

John doesn't think as he moves forward, pulling Freddie into a crushing hug. He presses his ear to the other man's chest, listening to the heartbeat that pulses steadily beneath. He feels another pair of arms wrap around the two of them, and he looks up to see Roger pressing his face into Freddie's shoulder. Brian joins them soon after, and they end up in a tangled heap on the floor, drawing comfort from each others presence.

“I'm okay, we're okay,” Freddie whispers softly, and John lets his eyes fall shut, still wrapped in the arms of his family.

**Author's Note:**

> hope y'all enjoyed, comments and kudos are very much appreciated!
> 
> requests are open on my tumblr, @ eveningmercury !


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